Motive-power regulator



D- 31, 1929- I J. D S P|LLANE' 1,741,381

- NOTIVE POWER REGULATOR Filed June 2. 1922s :5 Sheets-Sheet i Dec; 31', 1929. .1. D. SPILLANE MOTIVE POWER REGULATOR Filed June 2, 1925 3 Sheets-Shed" 2 J4 J0 unlllllllllll Dec. '31, 1929. D, sP I 1,741,381

"O l-IVE POWER REGULATOR Filed June 2. 1923 3 Sheets-Shee 3 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMIES D. SPILLANE, OF BRONX, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE CONSTANTATOR (10., INCL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK Application filed June 2, 1923.

One purpose of the invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically regulating the pressure of steam in a steam boiler so as to maintain the pressure substantially constant. The steam generated may be used for any purpose desired. The invention may be employed for opening and closing a damper controlling the draft to the furnace or generator in accordance with the decrease or increase of boiler pressure, and it may be employed for opening and closing a valve or for controlling the operation of a blower or that of a stoker, as well as for other purposes.

I present the invention herein as embodied in mechanism particularly adapted for maintaining steam pressure in a boiler as nearly constant as may be required, immaterial fluctuations of boiler pressure not affecting to any operative extent the mechanism of my inventic-i and material fluctuations of the boiler pre sure serving to act through the said mechanism to set in motion a reversible motor irom whiclnthrcugh suitable connections, the supply of draft to the furnace or generator may be increased or diminished as may be required.

The apparatus of my invention comprises a pressure gauge, a reversible motor, a slidable operating rod to be moved in one direction or the other from said motor for setting the damper or other part to be actuated, and electric circuit making and breaking mechanism interposed between said gauge and said operating rod and" op is from both thereof for controlling the operation of said motor in accordance with the increase and decrease of boiler pressure acting 'ainst said gauge. The electric switch mech sm mounted on a frame which is arranged to receive a traveling movement in one direction the other from and with said operating rod, and the switches, which are rockably mounted on said frame, are acted upon by an oscillatory lever which is subject to the movement of a main pivoted lever beam operably connected with said pressure gauge. The action of the electric switches is in part controlled by said oscillatory lever and in part by the sliding movement of the frame carrying them, and in addition I provide means on said frame to coact withsaid switches in a way to prevent MOTIVE-POW'ER REGULATOR Serial No. 643,134.

arcing at the moment of making and breaking the electric circuits and also means for holding' said switches in their respective positions under a yielding tension.

One very desirable object I accomplish by my invention is that the electric switches remain stationary during immaterial fluctua-- this being due to the fact that the circuits are automatically repeatedly made and broken during and by reason of the travel of the frame carrying the switches both when the pressure in the boiler should be increased and when such pressure should be decreased.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a motive power regulator embodying my invention, all the parts thereof being shown by solid lines in the position they occupy when the boiler pressure is normal;

Fig. 2 is a topplan view, partly in section and partly broken away, of that portion of the mechanism more directly associated with the features of my invention, this mechanism being shown on a smaller scale at the middle portion of-Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same showing the operative parts as having moved from their normal position due to a rise in the boiler pressure but not to the extent necessary to complete the circuit for setting the motor in action and thereby, for illustration, more or less closing a damper for reducing the draft to the furnace associated with the boiler.

Fig. 4: is a like View, partly in section, sh0wing the position of the parts as having been operated from their position shown in Fig. 3, to complete the circuit through the motor;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section through the apparatus taken on the dotted line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section through a portion of the same taken on the dotted line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section through a portion of the same taken on the dotted line 77 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a detail portion of the mechanism, taken from the right hand side of the lower portion of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the dotted line 9-9 of Fig. 5 and shows in top view the features illustrated in side elevation in Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view, partly in perspective, illustrating the electric circuits.

In the drawings 20 designates a usual type of steam pressure gauge containing a diaphragm and having a vertically movable knife edge 21 on which one end portion of a pivoted lever or beam 22 rests, said lever at its other or free end portion having weights 23 properly adjusted to balance the steam pressure tending through the diaphragm and knife-edge 21 to turn the lever upwardly. 24 denotes a commercial type of reversible electric motor whose shaft is geared to a worm Wheel 25 held between bearings 26 and having an internally threaded hub 27 through which an operating slide rod 28 passes and which is moved to the right or to the left, looking at Fig. 1, in accordance with the direction of rotation of the armature shaft of the motor. The rod 28 has a threaded portion 29 in operative engagement with the internal thread of the hub 27.

30 indicates a slidable bar which carries some of the more essential features of my invention and is mounted in guides 31 below the operating rod 28 and receives its motion from said rod through a lever 32 which is pivotally mounted at its lower end, as at 33, and vertically slotted at its upper end, at 34, and in the slot 34 receives a pin 35 connected with the rod 28. The lever 32 at an intermediate point thereof has a vertical slot 36 (Figs. 2 and 5) which receives a pin 37 projecting backwardly from the slidebar 30, and said lever receives its motion from the rod 28 through the pin 35 and communicates motion to the slide-bar 30 through the pin 37.

The guides 31 for the slide 30 are secured to a supporting back-plate 38, and likewise the guide 39 and bearings 26 for the rod 28 are secured to said back-plate 38. The pivot-screw 33 for the lower end of the lever 32 is sustained by the back-plate 38, there being a washer 40 between the lower end of the lever 32 and said plate 38, as shown in Fig. 5.

The slide 30 has secured to it a plate 41 which carrles the switches for making and breaklng and reversing the circuit through the motor 24, and the plate 41, which is vertical, carries a horizontal platform plate 42 upon which is a block of insulating material 43 and to whose forward portion is secured a right angle bracket 44 providing a front vertical upwardly extending standard 45. A pivot rod 46 is supported in the upper end of the standard and a bearing 47 formed on the plate 41, as shown in Fig. 7, and upon this pivot rod 46 is mounted a rockable frame 48 and a block of insulating material 49 which is also rockable on the rod 46 and is independent of the frame 48 in the normal position of t iese parts. The frame 48 and insulating block 49 at certain times however move together, as hereinafter explained. The block 49 has at its forward end an upwardly extending arm 50, and the frame 48 has at its forward end an upwardly extending plate 51 at whose right and left hand edges are forwardly projecting bracket arms 52, 53 carrying contact set-screws 54, 55 between which a long lever 56 may have limited oscillatory motion without touching said set-screws and which lever, when sufficiently actuated, may engage either the screw 54 or the screw 55 and act a ainst the same to tilt the plate 51 and frame 48 and thereby effect a corresponding tilting motion to the arm 50, block of insulating material 49 and parts carried thereby, the motion of the plate 51 being communicated to the arm 50 and block 49 by means of pins 57, 58 projecting rearwgardly from the plate 51 at opposite sides of the vertical center thereof and at opposite edges of the arm 50 and at times engaging one or the other edge of said arm 50 and therethrough tilting said block 49, said pins, however, being sufliciently spaced apart to permit the plate 51 to have limited oscillatory motion without communicating the same to the arm 50 and block 49. The lever 56 receives its motion from the beam or lever 22 when the latter either rises or falls due to variations of pressure in the boiler, as hereinafter explained.

The block 49 has extending through it two normally horizontal switch rods 59, 60, these rods 59, 60 being supported by the block 49 and given a rocking motion, when necessary, thereby. The rod 59 is bent downwardly at its ends to form contact members 61, 62 which are, resp ctively, directly above cups 63, 64 containing mercury 65, 66, respectively. The switch rod 59 carries a conducting arm 67 which extends downwardly from the rod 59 and is constantly at its lower end within a mass of mercury 68 held in a cup 69. The contact arms 61, 62 are normally free of the mercury in the cups 63, 64 and are alternately moved into the cups 63, 64 as the conditions of pressure may render necessary, the arm 62 being shown in Fig. 4 as having entered the mercury cup 64 to complete a circuit through the motor 24.

The switch-rod-60 corresponds with the switch-rod 59 and has at its ends depending contact arms 70, 71, normally above cups 72, 73, respectively, containing mercury 74, 75, respectively, and said rod 60 has a depending conductor 76 which always has its lower end immersed in mercury 77 confined within a cup 78. The cups 63, 64, 69 and 72, 73, 78 are supported upon the insulating material 43 carried by the platform plate 42, and the switch rods 59, 60 are insulated from each other and from adjacent metal parts by the block of insulating material 49.

The frame 48 has an upwardly extending rear arm 79 and to this arm is secured a blade 80 which is in the form of an elongated balance plate and has a vertical head or member 81 at one end, said memberbeing formed at its upper. and lower ends with hooks 82, 88, respectively, and between said hooks with two triangular projections 84, 85, respectively, said projection 84 having outwardly converging edges 86, 87, respectively, and the projection 85 having outwardly con verging edges 88, 89, respectively, said projections being in the form of triangles, as shown in Fig. 3. The outer edge of the member 81, which edge may be described as serrated, ccoperates with a tiltable frame of bell-crank lever shape, numbered 90, this frame having a roller 91 at its upper end in engagement with the serrated edge of the member 81 and being equipped with a weight 92 at the outer end of its lower angle member, which weight acts to turn the frame at its upper end toward the member 81 and to retain the roller 91 in engagement with the serrated edge of said member 81'. The frame 90 is pivotally secured at 98 to the supporting plate 41.

I provide a vertical arm 94 having projections 95, 96 (Figs. 6 and 7) of triangular outline as means for yieldingly holding the switch rods 59, 60 and block 49 carrying the same in their initial position and in such positions as may be imparted to them during the operation of the mechanism. The arm 94 is shown in Fig. 6 in side elevation, whereat it may be seen that the forward edge of the upper portion of he arm is serrated and that said arm is pivotally secured at its lower end, at 97, to a bracket 98 extending forwardly from the plate 41. The arm 49 is connected with a right angle rod 99 carrying an adjustable weight 100 whose action is to yieldingly keep the serrated edge of the arm 94 against the switch rod 60. Since the switch rod 60, switch rod 59 and block 49 are all'rigidly connectedtogether, the one arm 94 while only engaging the rod 60 serves to steady and con trol the switch-rod 59 also.

The lever 56 is supported from and actuated by the main lever or beam 22 and, as hereinbefore described, oscillates between the contact screws 54, 55 of the plate 51 and serves to rock the'frame 48 in one direction or the other as may be required. The lower end of the lever 56 has a rearwardly extending arm 101 and this arm 101 has depending arms 102, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, which are mounted on a pivot pin 108 held in bearings 104 of a bracket 105 secured to the plate 38. At opposite sides of the arm 101 formed on the lower end of the lever 56 are spring steel face-plates 106 and 107 (Figs. 1, 5, 8, 9). Secured upon the pivot-pin or rod 103 is a counterweight 108 having an arm 109 which extends upwardly between the plates 106, 107 at the front of the forward depending arm 102 of the arm 101, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, said arm 109 being shown by solid lines in Fig. 1. The weight 108 is formed with laterally extending lug or arm110 (Figs. 1 and 9) and thereat said weight is pivoted, at 113, to the lower end of a link 111 whose upper end is pivoted to the lever or beam 22, as at 112. The springplates 106, 107 are secured to the plate or arm 101 by means of a series of bolts 11 4 on which are coiled springs engaging the outer face of the plate 106 and rendered adjustable as to tension by means of thumb-nuts 116, which are on the outer ends of the bolts 114 and engage s1 id springs, while the other ends of the bolts 114 are headed and enga e the plate 107, as shown more clearly in fig. 9. The lever 56 is oscillated on the upward and downward movements of the lever or beam 22 by the action of the link 111 and weight 108, said weight when swung to the right or left acting through its upwardly extending arm 109 against the spring plates 106, 107 and through these plates on the lever 1 provide the spring plates 106, 101 and the springs 115 to create a yielding or flexible joint between the lower end of the lever 56 and the weight 108. The weight 108 and lever 56 could be integral, but I prefer to interpose a spring joint in the connection between the weight and the lever so that in the event of any sudden or accidental quick undue movement of the beam or lever 22 and link 111, there will be a yielding at the connection between the weight and the lever 56 suiiicient to prevent the lever 56 at its pper end from injuring the mechanism it would then actuate from one or the other of the contact screws 54 and 55. The upper end of the lever 56 where it stands between the contact screws 54, 55 is widened out, as at 117 (Fig. 5), so as to provide abundant surface for engage ment with the screws 54, 55.

' In Fig. 10 I. diagrammatically illustrate the usual circuits for commercialreversible 1 motor, the circuit being made to drive the motor in one direction when the arms 62, 71 of the switch rods 59, 60 are depressed into the mercury heldin the cups 64, 78', both of 'whichare of conducting material, and the circuit being established for driving the motor 24 in a reverse direction when the arms 61, of the switch rods 59, 60 are de pressed into the mercury held in the cups 63, 72, which are also of conducting material. The cups 69, 78 for the arms 67, 76 are of conducting material and, as aforesaid, said arms 67, 76 are always immersed in the mercury mass held by said cups. lVhen the switch arms 59, 69 are in the position illustrated in Fig. 10, the circuits are broken and the motor 24 re mains at rest. hen the arms 62, 71 of the switch arms 59, 60 are depressed into the cups 64, 73, the motor 24 will be driven in one direction and act through the gearing 25, 27 to effect the travel of the rod 28 in one direction, and when the arms 61, 7 O of the switch arms 59, 60 are depressed into their mercury masses, the motor 24 will rotate in the reverse direction and act through the gearing 25, 27 to effect the sliding movement of the rod 28 in a reverse direction. To effect the correct movement of the rod 28 in one direction or the other and to a proper extent, under variations of steam pressure in the boiler, is one purpose of the mechanism described.

In considering the operation of the mechanism hereinbefore described it may be understood that the several parts thereof are in their normal position shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 10 with the boiler pressure acting against the diaphragm gauge 20 standing at the predetermined desired amount. The purpose of the invention is to effect the movement of the sliding rod 28 to open or close a damper or the like on material fluctuations of the boiler pressure acting against the diaphragm gauge 20. Fluctuations of the boiler pressure will cause the beam or lever 22 to rise or fall in accordance with the degree of such fluctuations. Upon an increase in boiler pressure causing the lever or beam 22 to turn upwardly to an extent commensurate with such increase of pressure, the link 111 will act, looking at Fig. 1, to turn the weight 108 toward the right, and this will have the effect of moving the vertical lever 56 at its upper end toward the left, and if the increase in pressure is slight, said lever 56 will not contact with the screw 55, but if such increase in pressure should be greater but still not very material, the upper end of the lever 56 will engage the screw 55 and tilt the plate 51 toward the left and thereby effect the turning of the blade to carry its head 81 upwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. During the upward movement of the head 81 of the blade 80 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that illustrated in Fig. 3, the. pin 57 on the plate 51 has reached the arm 50 on the insulating block 49 carrying the switch-rods 59, 60, but said pin has not at that time acted against said arm 50, and hence the switch rods 59, 60 have remained in their neutral position, being there yieldingly held by the engagement of the rod 60 with the steady ing arm 94. During the movement of the head 81 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that illustrated in Fig. 3, there has been a fluctuation of the steam causing an oscilla' tory movement in the plate 51 and an oscillatory movement of the edge 88 of the head 81 against the roller 91 of the bell-crank frame 90. When the steam pressure has attained the amount represented by the movement of the vertical lever 56 to tilt the plate 51 and blade 80 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, a very slight further increase of the pressure will, through the beam 22 and its connections, further press the upper end of the lever 56 toward the left against the screw 55 and cause the pin 57 of the plate 51 to act against and turn the arm 50 toward the left, this being in opposition to the tension exerted against the rod 60 by the steadying arm 94. This movement of the arm 50 is commu nicated to the insulating block 49 and switch rods 59, 60, whose contact arms 62, 71 then start downwardly to the mercury in the cups 64, 73. At this point of the operation, also, the roller 91 having been on the apex or point of the projection and the blade 80 having been turned to carry its head 81 further up wardly by the increased movement of the plate 51, said roller 91 quickly rolls against the inclined edge 89 of the head 81 and presses against said edge, under the action of the weight 92, and effects a quick upward movement of the head 81 and a corresponding movement of the plate 51 and pin 57 against the arm 50, with the result that the insulating block 49 connected with said arm 50 is quickly turned downwardly to the left and the arms 62, 71 of the switch rods 59, 60 are suddenly plunged into the mercury held by the cups 64, 73. It will thus be seen that fluctuations in steam pressure, when the pressure is rising, will act against the mechanism of my invention, but will not actuate the same to complete a circuit at the mercury cups 64, 73 until the pressure has increased to such a point that it must be reduced, and at this time with the mechanism in the condition shown in Fig. 3, a very slight further increase in pressure results in the head 81 turning upwardly and in the bell-crank frame 90 imparting a quick movement to said head so that the arms 62, 71 of the switch-rods 59, 60 may quickly enter the cups 64, 73 without causing an arc. The operating position of the plate 51, blade 80, head 81 and bell-crank frame 90 is shown in Fig. 4, and in this figure it will be seen that the contact screw 55 has left the lever 56 and that the contact screw 54 has traveled to said lever, and also that the switch rods 59, 60 remain in their operative position, being there held by the tension arm 94. lVhen the parts are moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, the circuit is completed through the motor 24, and the motor acting through the gearing 25,

27, sets the rod 28 in sliding motion toward the left and said rod acting through the lever 32 moves the slide bar 30, plate 41 carried thereby and the parts carried by said plate 41 longitudinally in the din, tion of motion of the rod 28, and in the i stance described said slide bar 30 and plate 41 were caused to move toward the left, thereby carry ing the contact screw 55 from the lever 56 and the contact screw 54 to said lever, as shown in Fig. 4. The movement of the rod 28 was for the purpose of closing a damper, valve or the like to lessen the draft througl the furnace and effect the decrease of pressure in the boiler, and upon this decrease taking place, the movement of the plate 41 and slide bar 30 carrying the lever 56 a 'ainst the contact screw 54, will result in said le or re storing the plate 51 to its normal vertical position, shown in Fig. 1, and in the pin 58 carried by said plate acting againstthe arm 50 to restore the insulating block 49 and switch rods 59, 60 to their normal initial position. The turning of the plate 51 toward the right at this time, acts through the frame 48 to turn the right hand end of the blade 80 down wardly, so that the edge 89 of the head 81 will ride downwardly against the roller 90 until the roller reaches the apex point 85, and thereupon. the force exerted by the frame 90 will cause said roller to quickly ride upon and press downwardly against the edge 88 of the head 81, and this will have the effect of cansing the blade 80 to impart a quick movement to the frame 48, restoring the parts to their normal position and causing the pin 58 on the plate 51 to quickly act against the arm 50, insulating block 49 and switch rods 59, 69 to elevate the arms 62, 71 from the mercury cups 64, 73,. thus breaking the circuit and avoiding arcing at said cups. The lower hook 83 on the head 81 prevents the escape of the roller 91 from said head when the parts assume their position shown in Fig. 4.

Upon a. fall of the steam pressure to a ma terial extent, the reverse of the operation above described will be performed automatically. The immaterial fluctuations of steam pressure below the predetermined pressure will merely cause oscillation of the lever 56 between the contact screws 54, 55 and to some extent the tilting of the plate 51, but when a material decrease of pressure takes place, the lever 56 will move firmly against the screw 54 and cause the plate 51 to carry its pin 58 against the arm 50 and turn said arm toward the right, with the result that the switch rods 59, 60 will be tilted downwardly toward the right and that the blade 80 will carry its head 81 downwardly, the edge 87 of said head riding against the roller 91 of the frame 90 until the apex point 84 of said head is against said roller 91, and thereupon upon a slight fur-v ther decrease in pressure the roller 91 will ride against and press downwardly upon the edge 86 of the head 81 and effect a quick downward movement of the arms 61, of the switch rods 59, 60 into the mercury pots or cups 63, 72, this being for the purpose of establishing a circuit through the motor 24 and causing said motor to slide the rod 28 toward the right and therethrough acting on the lever 32 to cause the slide bar 30 and plate 41 to travel toward the right, this movement of the rod 28 serving to open the damper for the purpose of admitting an increased quantity of air to the furnace so as to increase the, heat supplied to the boiler and thereby raise the boiler pressure. When the head 81 moves downwardly against the roller 91 said head becomes arrested in its final position by the engagement of the hook 82 against the roller 91. The movement of the rod 28 and slide bar 30 toward the right causes the plate 41 and parts carried thereby to travel toward the right and the arms 61, 7 O of the switch rods 59, 60 may remain in their operative position within the mercury cup 67, 72, until by the upward movement of the lever or beam 22, due to an increase in boiler pressure, the lever 56 is caused to press against the screw 55 and return the plate 51 and, by means of the pin 57, the arm 50 and block 49 and switch rods 59, 60 toward their neutral position, shown in Fig. 1, the movement of the plate 51 toward its neutral position acting throng the frame 48 and blade 80 to cause the surface 86 and apex point 84 of the head 81 to move upwardly over the roller 91 of the frame 90, and said roller when riding against the edge 87 of the head 81 acting to cause the plate 51 to have a quick final movement to its normal position and to impart a like movement through the pin 57 to the arm 50, block 49 and switch rods 59, 60. The arms 61, 70 of the switch rods 59, 60 are in this way caused to quickly ascend from the mercury cups 63, 72 in a mannor to avoid arcing, and the circuit through the motor 24 being broken, all the parts will remain stationary as before, except that the construction is such as to allow under immaterial fluctuations of steam pressure, a limited movement of the lever or beam 22, lever 56 and plate 51 without affecting the switch rods 56, 60.

The apparatus hereinbefore described has a somewhat varied operation depending on the increase or decrease of pressure beyond the predetermined normal degree of pressure desired and the amount of such increase or decrease of pressure.

The operating rod 28 and frame or carriage 41 carrying the electric switches and other cooperative parts, move in the same direction either toward the left or toward the right, as may be necessary, and due to the relation of said rod 28 and said plate or frame 41 with the pivoted actuating arm 32, said plate or frame 41 has the requisite movement immaterial stage and must be corrected.

with the rod 28 but a less extended movement than said rod.

One purpose of the invention is to prevent immaterial variations of boiler pressure acting against the electric switches, and another purpose of the invention is to provide mecha' nism which will open or close a. damper, valve or the like by a step bystep movement as distinguished from pulling or pushing the damper wide open or closed at a single stroke or fully opening or closing the valve at a single stroke.

In Fig. 1 I illustrate the mechanism in a neutral position and the pressure in the boiler at the predetermined amount and counterbalanced by the weight 28. Upon the immaterial increases or decreases of boiler pressure, the lever or beam 22 may oscillate to a limited extent and impart its oscillating movement to the lever 56, whose upper portion may then oscillate between the contact screws 54, 55 without affecting the electric switches and said lever 56 may even contact with one screw 55 and then the other screw 54 and tilt the plate 51 to a limited extent without affecting the electric switches. During this oscillation of the lever 56 it must be understood that the pins 57, 58 while reaching the arm 50 do not operate said arm. lVhen a movement toward the left or toward the right of the lever 56 is suiiicient to tilt the plate 51 and effect the tilting of the arm 50, it will mean that the increase or clecrease of pressure in the boiler is beyond the In F ig. 3 we illustrate the lever 56 as having moved against the contact screw 55 and tilted. the plate 51 until the pin 57 thereon has reached the arm 50, and at this time the roller 91 has reached the apex point 85 of the head 81 of the blade 80. A. very slight further increase in pressure, under the conditions shown in Fig. 3 results in the lever arm 56 giving a further tilt to the plate 51 and in the pin 57 carried by said plate acting against the arm 50 to turn the left hand portions, looking at Figs. 3 and 4, of the switches 59, 6O downwardly toward the mercury pots 64, 73, the blade at this time having been sufliciently turned by the plate 51 to carry its apex point upwardly from the roller 91 and in said roller imparting a. quick tilting action to the plate 51 and through said plate to the arm 50 and switch rods 59, 60, tiereby effecting a quick thrust of the members 62, 71 of said switch rods into the mercury held by the pots or cups 64, 78. This completes the circuit through the motor 24, and then the rod 28 is caused to travel toward the left and through the pivoted arm 32 effects the travelin movement of the plate or carriage 41 toward the left. This traveling movement of the carriage or plate 41 carries the contact screw 55 from the lever 56 and advances the contact screw 54 to said lever, as shown in Fig. 4, and upon further movement of the plate or carriage 41 toward the left, the lever 56 acts in the nature of an abutment for the point of the screw 54 and by reason ofthisthenlate 51 on t-hecontinued travel of the frame or carriage 41 toward the left is tilted to its normal osition and breaks the circuit. If the decrease of pressure has been sufiicient, all the parts will remain at neutral, but if the decrease of pressure has been insufficient or should even increase to a slight extent, the lever 56 will then again engage the contact screw 55 and tilt the plate 51 toward the left and thereby, by engaging the arm 50 and operating the blade 80, again complete the circuit at the mercury pots 64, 73. The making and breaking of the circuit just described may be repeated a number of times before the proper pressure has been attained in the boil er, and during these periods of the making and breaking of the circuit the rod 28 comes to rest, and hence said rod is permitted to operate the damper valve or the like by a step by step movement. I have referred to the operation of the parts on an increase of pressure. Exactly the same operation will take place on a decrease of pressure, except that in that instance the lever 56 will be initially swung toward the right, and the circuit will be made by the members 61, 7 O of the switch rods 59, 60, and the actuating rod 28 and plate or carriage 41 will move toward the right. Upon a very pronounced increase or decrease of pressure the lever 56 will follow, at its upper end, the contact screw 55 or the contact screw 54, as the case may be, through the proper period without making and breaking the circuit through the motor.

The circuits illustrated in Fig. 10 will be readily understood without extending explanation. The field magnet coils aare permanently connected with the mains b, 0. When the members 62, 71 of the switches 59, 60 are depressed into the mercury cups 64, 7 3, the circuit is from the main 5 through conductor (Z, conductor 6, cup 7 8, switch-rod 60. arm 76, cup 7 8 and conductor f to the motor armature at g, and from the motor armature at 71. through conductor 71 to cup 69 and thence through arm 67 switch-rod 59, cup 64 and l conductor 9' to coils a and main 0. WVhen the switch members 61, 70 are depressed, the circuit is from main 5 through conductors (Z, 6, cup 73, conductor 77:, cup 68, switch 59, arm 67 and conductor 2' to motor armature at h, and from motor aramature at 9 through conductor f, cup 78, arm 76, switch rod 60, switch member 70, cup 72, conductor m, the cup 64 and conductor to coils a and main 0.

I particularly describe my invention as adapted for maintaining steam pressure in a. boiler substantially constant, but I desire it understood that my invention is also applicable for maintaining compressed air, gas or the like under uniform pressure, and it is also to be understood that I do not limit the invention to the operation of a damper from the actuating rod 28, since said rod may also be employed to open or close a valve or con trol the operation of a stoker or other piece of mechanism.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus of the character described employing a reversible motor and a slidable actuating rod operable in one direction or the other therefrom for effecting the predetermined movement of a device, switch mechanism comprising a slidable carriage movable with said rod, a rockable frame mounted on said carriage and carrying electric switch-rods tiltable therewith for making and breaking the circuits through said motor, a rockable actuating frame also mounted on said carriage having means for engaging and tilting said switch carrying frame to one side or the other when said actuating frame is tilted, said actuating frame being capable of limited tilting movement without affecting the switch carrying frame, and an oscillatory lever connected with and operable from a movable power pressure member to actuate the s *itch mechanism.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which said carriage has tensioning means acting to yieldingly bind said switch-rods against free movement.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which said carriage has tensioning means acting to yieldin ly bind said switeh-rods against free movement and consisting of a pivoted serrated arm and means acting against said arm to press the serrated edge of the same against one of said switchrods.

4. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which the carriage has means for accelerating the tilting movements of the switch-rods at the times of making and breaking the circuits, thereby to avoid arcing.

5. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which the said rockable actuating frame has means connected with it adapted to yieldingly retard the tilting movement of said frame during immaterial fluctuations of the oscillatory lever and to accelerate the tilting movementof said frame to effect the making and breaking of the electric circuits on material fluctuations, thereby to cause the prompt making and breaking of the circuits and to avoid arcing.

6. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which the said rockable actuating frame has means connected with it adapted to yieldingly retard the tilting movement of said frame during immaterial fluctuations of the oscillatory lever and to accelerate the tilting movement of said frame to effect the making and breaking of the electric circuits on material fluctuations, thereby to cause ti o prompt making and breaking of the circuits and to avoid arcing, and said means consisting of an oscillatory blade connected with said frame having a toothed head and a pressure roller engaging the teeth of said head and acting on passing over the apeX of a teeth of the head to actuate and speed the movement of said blade.

'2'. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which the said rockable actuating frame has means connected with it adapted to yieldingly retard the tilting movement of said frame-during immaterial fluctuations of the oscillatory lever and to accelerate the tilting movement of said frame to effect the making and breaking of the electric circuits on material fluctuations, thereby to cause the prompt making and breaking of the circuits and to avoid arcing, and said means consisting of an oscillatory blade connected with said frame having a toothed head and a pres sure roller engaging the teeth of said head and acting on passing over the apex of a tooth of the head to actuate and speed the movement of said blade, said pressure roller being on the end of one member of a bellcrank frame having on the end of its other member a weight to press the said roller against the teeth of said head. I

8. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which the said rockable actuating frame has means connected with it adapted to yieldingly retard the tilting movement of said frame during immaterial fluctuations of the oscillatory lever and to accelerate the tilting movement of said frame to effectthe making and breaking of the electric circuits on material fluctuations, thereby to cause the prompt making and breaking of the circuits and to avoid arcing, and said means consisting of an oscillatory blade connected with said frame having a head formed on one edge with two corresponding V-shaped teeth, an upper hook and a lower hook, and a pressure roller engaging the teeth of said head and acting on passing over the apeXes of said teeth to actuate and speed the movement of said blade, said hook serving to prevent the separation of the head from said roller and, with the roller, to arrest said blade at the ends of its proper movement.

9. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which said switch rods are parallel and have downwardly extending ends and also downwardly extending intermediate arms, and in which said carriage has mercury cups in which the lower ends of said intermediate arms are permanently immersed and mercury cups into which said switch ends are respectively projected when the switch rods are tilted downwardly at their respective ends.

10. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, in which the opposing contacts on said rockable actuating frame to be engaged by said oscillatory lever are adjustable toward and from each other and in which said frame has rearwardly projecting actuating pins spaced apart and being at opposite sides of the vertical center of said frame, and in which said rockable switch carrying frame has an arm -freely standing between said pins and to be engaged thereby during the material tilting movements of said actuating frame, whereby said switch carrying frame has tilting movements imparted to it for operating said switches.

11. A switch of the character described comprising a support, a carriage movable on the support, a plurality of switch terminals mounted on the movable carriage, a rockable frame mounted on the carriage and carrying an electric switch-rod tiltable therewith for making and breaking the circuit between certain of the switch terminals, and means on the rockable frame for engaging a movable control member whereby movement of said control member will rock said frame and switch-rod to control the movement of the carriage.

12. A switch of the character described comprising a support, a carriage movable thereon, a plurality of mercury-containing cups secured to the carriage, a rockable frame mounted on the carriage and carrying an electric switch-rod tiltable therewith for mak ing and breaking the circuit between certain of the mercury-containing cups, and means on the rockable frame for engaging a movable control member whereby movement of said control member will rock said frame and switch-rod to control the movement of the carriage.

13. In a device of the character described employing a control member influenced by conditions to be governed, a bodily movable switch having terminals and a switch-rod for selectively connecting said terminals, and means on the switch for engaging the control member whereby movement of said control member will actuate the switch-rod, and subsequent bodily movement of the switch against the control member will return the switchrod to its original position.

14. In a device of the character described employing a control member influenced by conditions to be governed, a bodily movable switch having a plurality of terminals and a tiltable switch-rod for selectively connecting certain of said terminals, and means mounted with the switch-rod for engaging the control member whereby movement of said control member in either direction will correspondingly tilt the switch-rod, and subsequent bodily movement of the switch against the control member will return the switch-rod to its original position.

15. In a regulating mechanism en'iploying a prime mover, and means movable by the prime mover in one direction or the other for effecting movement of a governing device, means for regulating supply of power to the prime mover, said regulating means being movable as a unit with said movable means, and a control member adapted to beinfluenced by conditions to be governed by said device, and said control member oeing adapted to actuate said power regulating means whereby to control the prime mover.

16. In a regulating mechanism en'iploying a prime mover, and a slidable actuating rod operable in one direction or the other therefrom for effecting predetermined movement of a governing device, mechanism including a slidable carriage attached to the actuating rod for movement therewith, means on the carriage for regulating supply of power to the prime mover, and a control member adapted to actuate said power regulating means and to thus control the prime mover, said control member being influenced by conditions to be governed.

1? In a regulating mechanism including a control member influenced by conditions to be governed, an electric switch movable as a unit and having a plurality of terminals in a controlling circuit, means whereby movement of the control member will actuate the switch to close the circuit, and means for bod ilv moving the switch against the control member to open the circuit again.

18. In a regulating mechanism including a control member influenced by conditions to be governed, means for effecting a predetermined movement of a governing device to compensate for movement of the control member, and a switch bodily movable as a unit by said compensting means, said switch being disposed in an electrical circuit controlling i is movement of the compensating means and being actuated by engagement with the control member to close or open the circuit.

19. A switch for controlling a reversible motor to actuate an adjustable mechanism, means for supporting the switch to slide bodily, mechanism operated by said motor to slide the switch in one direction or the other accordance with the direction of rotation of the motor. and pressure operated means for closing the switch, said pressure oge ated means being responsive to conditions governed by the reversiliile motor.

20. ii switch for controlling a reversible motor to actuate an adjustable mechanism, n'ieans for sup 'iorting the switch for movement in a longi linal direction, mechanism operated by said motor to move the switch bodily ci ier forward or backward according to the direction of rotation of the motor, pressure operated means for closing the switch, said pressure operated means being responsive to conditions governed by the reversible motor, and means actuated by the longitudinal movement of the switch to open the same.

21. A switch for controlling a reversible motor to actuate an adjustable mechanism, the switch being normally opened, means or supporting the switch for longitudinal movement as a unit, mechanism for imparting such movement to the switch from the motor, pressure operated means responsive to conditions governed by the reversible motor for closing the switch, and means for reopening the switch after an automatically defined degree of longitudinal movement. 7

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, this 31st day of May, A. D. 1923.

JAMES D. SPILLANE. 

